Community Food Security Inventory of the City of Chicago

The Chicago Food Policy Advisory Council

November 2004

With Support from Chicago Community Trust

There is a growing demand among Chicago residents that all residents should have access to safe, culturally acceptable and nutritionally adequate food through a sustainable food system that maximizes community self reliance and social justice. A variety of efforts are underway raise the level of public discourse on this issue in order to design a sustainable food system that will be able to foster the development of community food security in Chicago.  The organization of local forums around community food security has led to the formation of Chicago Food Policy Advisory Council (CFPAC).  The CFPAC was formed through the rigorous process of community outreach and involvement.

This report will initiate the Chicago Food Policy Advisory Council as an advisory counsel to policy makers within the City.  The following assessment of current city government departments and activities provides a snapshot which helps to illustrate what work is already being done regarding community food security, and what areas can use help or improvement to move towards the goals of community food security.  Using examples from other Food Policy Councils and community food security activities in other parts of the country and around the world, this report is meant to invoke the formation of local community food security policy in this region. 

 Important to the formation of community food security policy in our region, is the formation of a coalition of policy makers.   This report also introduces some potential partners to initiate a coalition of policy makers who benefit from being advised by the Chicago Food Policy Advisory Council.  This is part of the ongoing process of the food security movement to integrate its concerns and impart responsibility into the awareness of the public in order to build a more supported and sustainable future. 

Food security is a critical issue for Chicago:

These issues are among many that need to be addressed at a policy level.

Many people in Chicago are already involved in aspects of the food security movement.  City programs that provide senior citizens with hot meals, food pantries, restaurants dedicated to providing the freshest product for their customers, are all part of a nascent food security movement is. We have seen the birth and growth of a number of grassroots efforts and organizations to mobilize people around specific issues of food security including advocacy and policy oriented groups like Advocates for Urban Agriculture, CLOCC (Consortium to Lower Obesity in Chicago Children), Chicago Organic, Chicago Food System Collaborative and Northeastern Illinois Food Security Assessment. 

Chicago Organic, for example, is a short-term project of the Mayor’s Office.  Its main purpose is to develop citywide policies, strategies, and programs for the growing, processing and distribution of organic foods and products over the course of several months.  It is comprised of five task force committees: Land Use; Soil, Water & Compost; Training, Education & Schools; Marketing, Distribution & Entrepreneurial Opportunities; Government Food Procurement Policies, and draws from both the public and private sector to research and determine next steps for city government in food security issues.

The Chicago Food Policy Council is a long-term effort to develop plans and recommendations and then advise policy makers in all areas of food security.  The Council will publicize successes and follow-up on the recommendations.  This comprehensive study is our step in defining those goals in terms of the organization of the city. The idea of creating food security is a systematic change that focuses on creating self-reliance for all communities in obtaining their food and to create a system of growing, processing, manufacturing, making available, and selling food that is regionally based.

Federal, State and City money is already being spent on programs related to food security. Based on the draft action plan of the 2004 budget from December of 2003[4] there is a total of over $9 million in Federal money circulating through programs related to Food Security in Chicago. In addition in an inventory of all Federal funded programs, almost $24 million goes towards programs that have potential to address food security. Please see examples of the programs in the addendum.  Because food is a basic human need and issues of food security are integrated into almost everything, food security policy can be incorporated into almost any program.  Please see the following list of city departments and how they can be potentially affected by food security policy.

The city of Chicago has 44 departments ranging from the Mayor’s Office to the Chicago Film Office.  Outlined are the main issues and initiatives of the most relevant departments to food security including the current programs that relate to food security, potential programs that can link to food security, and budget information where available.  Most of the program funding mentioned goes to the departments from Federally available Community Development Block Grants (CDBGs) to fund city projects that are either carried out within the department or by a partner agency outside the department. 

Mayor’s Office- Mayor Daley

Aging- Joyce Gallager, Commissioner

Animal Care- Nikki Proustos, Director

Consumer Services- Norma Reyes, Commissioner

Cultural Affairs- Lois Weisberg, Commissioner

Environment- Marcia Jimenez, Commissioner

Public Health- John L. Wilhelm, Commissioner

$815,955 Child & Family Wellness Program (p104)

$414,645 Homeless Health Care (p104)

$1,274,157 Maternal Child Health (p104)

$1,274,157 Infant Mortality/CHA Prenatal Outreach (including WIC/Nutritional services) (2004 estimate)

Housing- John G. Markowski, Commissioner

$2,762,025 Community Programs (p103)

$4,400,000 Neighborhood Lending Program (p103)

2004 CDBG Funding RFP:

Home Repairs for Accessible and Independent Living (H-RAIL) for seniors $36,000-$210,000

Human Services- Ray Vasquez, Commissioner

 $1,818,000 Emergency Food Program (p104)

2004 CDBG Funding RFP:

Youth Development Services $15,000-$100,000 Range; Total $5,380,017

Innovative Youth Programs $50,000-$75,000 Range; Total $147,180

ALL Human Services Youth Programs $15,000-$208,000 Range

Emergency Food Box Program $1,547,480 TOTAL (Greater Chicago Food Depository funded)

Emergency Shelter Grant: Food Supply to Homeless Shelters $277,520

Mayor’s Office of Workforce Development- Jackie Edens, Commissioner

Planning and Development- Denise M.Casalino, Commissioner

Department of Procurement Services- David E Malone, Chief Procurement Officer

Public Building Commission- Kevin Gujral, Executive Director

Special Events- Jim Law, Executive Director

o    Relevant Activities/Programs: Farmers Market Program, Event Public Relations, & Neighborhood Festivals

Streets & Sanitation- Al Sanchez, Commissioner

In addition to city departments sister agencies like the Chicago Housing Authority, Chicago Park District, Chicago Public Schools, City Colleges of Chicago, Navy Pier, and the Chicago Transit Authority have the ability to contribute to community food security projects.

Catholic Charities: The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC) is a USDA food and nutrition program administered by the Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS) and operated by Catholic Charities. 

Chicago Park District: Mission is to: “Enhance the quality of life throughout Chicago by becoming a leading provider of recreation and leisure opportunities: Provide safe, inviting and beautifully maintained parks and facilities: Create a customer focused and responsive park system.” Relevant Departments: Intergovernmental and Community Affairs, Natural Resources, Planning & Development, Special Events (Harvest Garden), and procurement services. Potential Actions: Allocation of land for agricultural use, children’s programs related to food and gardening, improved food served at lunch and after school programs, encouraging park district vendors to integrate more local and organic foods.

Chicago Public Schools: Chicago Public Schools currently serves over 420,000 students at more than 650 food services sites.  The food is provided by corporate contractors.  The School Board votes on the contracts that are for the food service providers. With 602 public schools, 46,601 positions, and an operating budget of $3.667 billion this is a large public agency. Relevant Developments: Food Services and Warehousing Mission: “To provide students participating in the National School Lunch Program (NSLP), After-School Meal Program, and Summer Feeding Program with nutritious and appealing meals that meet city, state, and federal regulations, and to ensure the timely and efficient distribution of mail and materials to school units and administrative offices.”

Potential Links: Improved food quality in school system, healthy options in vending machines, salad bars in schools, nutrition education, culinary arts education, and agricultural education.

Department of Corrections: “Gourmet dining it's not...but the food served to the inmates at the Jail is prepared onsite and partially staffed by the inmates themselves. The jail's 96,000 square foot kitchen prepares more than 30,000 meals daily and is open 24 hours a day. A food service company prepares the meals while inmates help serve it to the large jail population”.  Relevant Developments: Cook County Correctional Facility Garden supplies food to local food pantries.  Potential Links: Purchase food from local sources, culinary and agricultural workforce development.

The Portland Food Policy Council (FPC), created by City and County resolution in June 2002 is an eleven-member advisory panel, established as a subcommittee of the Sustainable Development Commission.  In the October 2003 report to the Portland City Council and the Multnomah County Board, the PFPC first outlined the values of a sustainable food system and identified six strategies for local government.

1.      Plan for food access

2.      Increase visibility of regional food

3.      Support food and nutrition programs

4.      Model purchasing practices

5.      Defend land use laws

6.      Implement awareness campaigns

The PFPC subcommittees include: Land Use, Community Capacity, Local Demand, Food Access, and Institutional Purchasing. Members are represented by a broad range of stakeholders.

The Toronto Food Policy Council was established in 1991. As a subcommittee of the Toronto Board of Health it operates through partnerships with business and community groups to develop programs and policy promoting food security.  Members include City Counselors, volunteers from consumer, business, farm, labor, multicultural, anti-hunger advocacy, faith, and community development groups. 

The Toronto Food Policy Council has a small staff and modest budget. It has no authority to pass or enforce laws. It’s the power of ideas, inspired individuals and empowered communities that give it influence. Areas of concentration include Food and Hunger Action, Health, Agricultural Land Preservation and Urban Planning, Economic Development, Urban Agriculture and Food Waste Recovery, Community Gardens, and Communications, Capacity Building & Public Education.

Among many, significant accomplishments include:

Belo Horizonte, Brasil’s fourth largest city has embraced food security as policy. Since 1993 the city started thinking differently about ending hunger in response to the fact that one fifth of the city’s young children were suffering from malnutrition and poverty. (In Chicago 2.7% of all households are food insecure with hunger[6])

In Belo, food security policy was embraced as a human right by the city, a right by virtue of being a citizen not to be perceived as charity or emergency feeding programs. It operates at little cost to the government.  The entire program costs less than one percent of the city’s budget. The significance is that the policy enables the city to make things happen through partnerships rather than by doing everything itself. In order to create the necessary partnerships, the city works with a twenty member advisory council of citizens, labor, and church groups. 

The City Run Programs include:

v     Restaurante Popular- a city run restaurant serving almost 4,000 meals a day of high quality food to everyone.

v     Weekly Price Listing- the cost of 45 basic foods and house hold items are listed twice a week in public spaces and newspapers so people know where to find the cheapest deals.

v     School Lunch- the city provides four meals a day to children through a nutritious school lunch that includes fortified flour incorporated with ground eggshells, manioc leaf powder and other nutritious byproducts of food industry.

v     Green Basket Program- links hospitals, restaurants, and other big buyers directly to roughly 40 local small organic growers.

v     Agro-Ecological Centers- to supply seeds and seedlings to city programs and also to promote urban agriculture projects like community gardens and children’s gardens.

v     Market Control of Produce- City Hall arranges public bidding for entrepreneurs to create produce markets on city owned spots across the city. However, the seller must sell at the price the city sets.  As a compromise to those sellers with the better spots, they must drive to a site in low-income neighborhoods once a week to sell produce.

Frances Moore Lappe, author of the influential Diet for a Small Planet uncovered the food policy in Belo Horizonte in her recent book Hope’s Edge.

Food Policy Councils have already been formed in several cities to develop specific projects and aid inter-agency cooperation around food security issues. The examples are meant to provide a background for the current formation of the Chicago Food Policy Advisory Council.  While each individual food policy Council is designed around the needs of the region, they all have one thing in common; involvement from local government at one level or another.

Berkeley, California- The BFPC sponsors a City of Berkeley Food and Nutrition Policy which imparts responsibilities on the following city departments: City Council, Food Policy Council, and the Department of Health to follow through with the mission statement; “To build a local food system based on sustainable regional agriculture that fosters the local economy and assures all people of Berkeley have access to healthy affordable and culturally appropriate food from non-emergency sources.

Knoxville, Tennessee- Established in 1982 by the City Council, this is the oldest Food Policy Council in the country.  Designed to ‘continually monitor Knoxville’s food supply system and to recommend appropriate actions when needed’ the Council operates as an advisory organization who’s members appointed by the mayor.

Saint Paul, Minnesota- The St. Paul City Council established a Food and Nutrition Commission consisting of 11 at large members appointed by the mayor and ratified by city council and one staff person from the Department of Public Health. The goals of the commission are “to serve as an advisory board to the mayor and city council on food and nutrition matters relating to the planning for, promotion of, access to and education regarding safe, affordable, and nutritious food and the operation and evaluation of existing food delivery systems”.  It is also responsible for the creation of policy recommendations to governmental units.

Hartford, Connecticut- Established in 1978, the Hartford Food System (HFS) is a private, non-profit organization working to create an equitable and sustainable food system that addresses the underlying causes of hunger and poor nutrition facing lower-income and elderly Connecticut residents.  It administers the Connecticut Food Policy Council, which was created in 1997 by the Connecticut Legislature. The Council works to promote the development of a food policy for the State of Connecticut and the coordination of state agencies that affect food security.

There are many possible ways to approach food security from within city government. Different organizations operate within different frameworks.  Chicago Organic has proposed environmental framework from which to operate the development of food policy. In Chicago Organic, task forces address the following issues:

Land Use

Soil Water, Compost

Training, Education and Schools

Marketing, Distribution and Entrepreneurial Opportunities

Government Food Procurement Policies

The USDA’s Community Food Security Initiative outlines a broader approach to addressing these issues from the following necessary action areas:

Local Infrastructure

Economic and Job Security

Federal Nutrition Safety Net

Food Recovery, Gleaning and Donations

Local Food Production and Marketing

Education and Awareness

Research Monitoring and Evaluation

All approaches provide useful frameworks from which to understand and tackle food security. The assessment of the Chicago Food Policy Council is to work within the preexisting city structure to address as many of the previous issues as possible.

Like all the Food Policy Councils that have come before, the seed of inspiration has grown from within the community.  As illustrated by Belo Horizonte, Toronto, Berkeley, Knoxville, St. Paul, and Hartford, city government is an essential partner in the development of a Food Policy Council.  In Chicago, many projects relating to community food security are already underway.  Several are being administered by governmental programs as outlined in the departmental breakdown and funded by Federal CDBG grants as illustrated by the budget. Many departments administer RFP’s for the CDBG money, allowing external partners to develop new programs and most all of the programs mentioned have the potential to develop closer links to food security.  A Food Policy Council has the ability to work with public and private programming to create a mission for food security in the region and anchor the projects, process, and policy of those goals.

There is a future for the food security movement in Chicago.  The mission for the Chicago Food Policy Advisory Council enables us a fresh look at city government and all the potential links it has to building a more sustainable future for Chicago.  Take the case study of the school lunch program: With the consultation of the Food Policy Council or a delegate organization, it can be improved to appeal more to children, include fresher local foods to strengthen the local food system, and develop youth culinary skills and interest in food. These may seem like little improvements, but collectively across city departments, they will contribute to a city whose residents are food secure.

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